I just hope they’ll let me do something without a down payment.It’s not even like I need anything nice. Just something to get me around town.
After slipping on my shoes, I fire off a quick text to Arlo.
Me
Hey, do you wanna go with me after work tomorrow to look at cars?
I don’t get a response until I’m climbing into Austin’s truck.
Arlo
Sounds fun
“Thisplacekindasucks.”Arlo’s staring at the cars on the lot, and yeah, he’s right—this place does kinda suck.
“It’s alright. I’m sure I’ll find something. I don’t need anything fancy.”
“Where are you from?” he asks, walking alongside me as we make our way down the row of cars at the front.
“Here. What about you?”
He’s got a strange lilt to his accent you don’t usually find here. Plus, I know all the locals. It’s not like there are that many of them.
He keeps his eyes focused on the ground in front of him, kicking at a pebble. “Eastern Tennessee.”
Huh. “What did you come out here for?”
He shrugs. “New life, I guess. Wanted to disappear.”
Strange place to disappear to, but I get it, I guess. I’m not really doing anything different. “My ex was abusive. I came back home to escape an abusive relationship,” I say. I think that’s the first time I’ve said those words out loud like that. Damn. “I guess Austin saved me from it more than anything else.”
“Makes sense. He’s a nice guy. I haven’t seen him much, but when he comes in the diner to see his mom, he’s always real respectful. I like him.”
I’m not sure how I feel about that. “Yeah, he’s great.” I stop behind a blue Toyota. “What about this one?”
Damien would never let me drive such a gaudy-colored car. My black Escalade was the epitome of class, and I should have been grateful he trusted me to drive it at all. I roll my eyes at imaginary Damien, or I guess memory Damien.
“It’s alright,” Arlo says, checking over the paper hanging on the door. “Low miles. Only 116,000, and for the price, it’s not bad at all.”
I run my hand over the trunk, a smile blooming on my lips. “Well, what do you think? Should I test drive it?”
“If ya want. Can I come too?”
“Duh.” I flash him a smile that he returns. He’s got a freckle in the middle of his bottom lip, and it’s probably the strangest yet coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I’m still not sure if Deb was trying to set us up, but I do like Arlo, and I think we could be fast friends.
After getting a dealer tag and the keys, I climb in behind the driver’s seat. The car starts right up. “It’s quiet, so that’s probably a good sign, right?” I ask, even though I admittedly don’t know that much about cars.
“I’d say so.”
A giddy laugh burst from my lips, my heart thrumming away like hummingbird wings. I back out of the parking spot and hit the road, smiling to myself. It’s responsive, turning with just the slightest movement of the wheel. The brakes seem good too. I press them to the floor, giggling when both mine and Arlo’s seatbelts lock up trying to keep us from flying through the windshield.
“I think I want it.”
“Really?” Arlo asks, and I glance at him to find him staring at me with wide eyes.
“Why not? Runs good. Drives good. Stops on a dime. Plus, the blue is really cool.”
“Fair enough, I guess.”
